CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
My heart dropped and I shook my head. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean for you to take it that way. I just don’t know what to think of them.”
“The runes were on the surface when the item was dropped into our possession,” Ben spoke up as he moved to stand by my side. “Unfortunately, they are beyond our understanding, sir. We’re not even sure if they won’t affect the sound of the instrument.”
Our host dropped his attention back to the instrument. “I won’t have that.”
I blinked at him. “You won’t have what?”
He didn’t raise his eyes from the flute. “That formal tongue the count speaks. ‘Phantom’ will do as far as formalities are concerned.”
Ben folded his arms over his chest and smiled at the seated fellow. “Then I’ll have to insist on ‘Ben.’”
“And I’m Millie,” I c
